The invention relates to a method for manual recording of various observed events or states by an observing person. The invention further relates to a data acquisition device for carrying out the method.
It is known to observe nature, sequences in systems or, for example, the activities or behavior of living beings, in particular of human beings, and in so doing to record specific events or states, in order subsequently to analyze and systematically evaluate in accordance with specific criteria the observations collected in the process. Such data are collected by outside observation or self-observation, in particular in psychological, sociological or ergonomic studies.
Computers, including portable ones are currently preferably used to carry out such observations. In a known arrangement, the keyboard of the computer is used for data input by assigning each key a context, and in the case of observing an event the event occurring is acquired by pressing the appropriate key and stored by the computer, preferably together with the instant of the key depression.
Such a unit and/or such a method has the following disadvantages:
Operating the unit requires a high outlay on learning and training, since the meaning and/or assignment of each key firstly have to be learned. This considerable learning outlay is particularly disadvantageous when use is made for the data acquisition of people who have no experience of operating computers, who are relatively old or very young, or who come from a different cultural milieu or another speech area. There is also the risk of erroneous inputs despite the considerable learning outlay.
The arrangement of the keyboard, and/or the user interface does not correspond to the ideas and/or the mental model of the user.
It can happen that different situations to be observed require different application programs for the data acquisition and/or different electronic units which possibly have a different keyboard layout, and this complicates the flexibility and operation.
The known disadvantages also cause an increased outlay in time and costs.
It is the object of the invention to create a method and a device for manual recording of various events or states which can be operated simply.
The object is achieved in particular, with the aid of a method for manual recording of various events or states, wherein these are subdivided into a plurality of classes in such a way that each event/state can be assigned to a class, wherein a two-dimensional, freely configured and freely arranged object is represented on a two-dimensional template for preferably each class, wherein the template is arranged in such a way with respect to a two-dimensional input panel of a data acquisition device that an input signal is generated upon manual actuation of an object, wherein a data record characterizing the input site in the input panel and in particular comprising the coordinates and preferably also the instant of actuation is stored, and wherein after termination of the manual recording the characterizing data records are evaluated and each recorded event/state is assigned to a class.
In an advantageous refinement of the method according to the invention, the situation to be observed and recorded is put down on a sheet of paper, also denoted below as a template, on which the observing person, termed observer below, records context-oriented fields and/or objects on the sheet of paper, each class usually being represented as a context-oriented field and/or as an object, and it being left to the discretion of the observer to configure the graphical lay-out of the fields, possibly additionally characterized by different colors or supplementary text, and to configure the arrangement of the fields in accordance with the personal ideas and/or the personal mental model. As soon as all the context-oriented fields are drawn in, the sheet of paper is fastened on a flat input panel of a data acquisition device, the input panel being configured, for example, as a pressure-sensitive input interface which permits the input site to be resolved into an X-coordinate and Y-coordinate, and be stored. During observation and acquisition of an activity, the observer taps in the event accordingly on one of the self-designed fields on the sheet of paper, the data acquisition device storing the X-coordinate and Y-coordinate and preferably also the instant of data input. The data are input, for example, by virtue of the fact that a finger or the tip of a stylus is used to press onto the sheet of paper. After the termination of the observation, the data are evaluated, each field being assigned the corresponding event. The data acquired can, for example, be represented on a display screen by representing the X-coordinate and Y-coordinate of each data input as a data point, so that it is possible on the basis of the resulting cluster formation very easily to detect, and during the evaluation to determine, which data points belong to which field and/or to which event.
Advantages of the method according to the invention are to be seen, for example:
in that an observer is free to arrange the objects and to configure the user interface of the data acquisition device;
in that the arrangement of the objects corresponds to the mental model of the user;
in that a simple, unambiguous and reliable operation of the data acquisition device is possible;
in that the data can be input very quickly into the data acquisition device;
in that erroneous inputs can be established by testing whether the coordinates of the input data points are situated inside the fields drawn;
in that the data acquisition device essentially comprises an input panel and a storage means, and therefore can be produced with a low weight and small external dimension;
in that the method can be matched in a simple way to different data acquisition tasks; and
in that when recording spatially variable events (for example: recording movement) there is a relationship between the observed space and the input panel and/or the user interface of the data acquisition system.
The input interface is configured as a two-dimensional, preferably plane input panel which permits detection of the input site in the input panel. The input site is stored as a characterizing data record, this data record comprising the coordinates of the input and, preferably, the instant of the input. The input panel can be implemented using various technologies. Thus, the input panel can be configured, for example, as a plate made from metal or plastic, which is coupled to appropriate pressure sensors, touch sensors or light sensors for the purpose of input detection. Such input panels are also denoted as touch pads. The input interface can also comprise a display device, in particular an LCD display, which is arranged below the input panel. Such an input interface is also denoted as a touchscreen, this being taken to include any type of display screens and/or display devices which permit detection of an input based on approach, touch or pressure. Such input panels can have the most varied acuities, thus for example an acuity of 500xc3x97500 points.
The two-dimensional template can also, for example, be configured such that it comprises a sheet of paper which can be written on, or a transparent film which can be written on and which is surrounded by a fixed rim, for example made from cardboard, and is permanently connected to said rim. The two-dimensional template configured in such a way with a rim has, for example, the advantage that if the data input device has an appropriate stop in the region of the input panel the template can be positioned very accurately and reproducibly with reference to the input panel.
In the present patent application, the term xe2x80x9ctwo-dimensional templatexe2x80x9d is taken to mean not only the template which is configured from paper, in particular, but also a representation on the display screen such as a touchscreen. Starting from the inventive idea, what is involved is an equivalent use of the template, be this represented with the aid of a thin carrier material which can be written on, such as paper, or with the aid of an electronic display device such as an LCD display screen. In a fashion equivalent to the template consisting of paper, an observer can draw context-oriented fields in a first step on a touchscreen and graphically configure them, the representation being performed via the LCD display screen, in order in a subsequent step to acquire the data by touching these defined fields.
The method according to the invention thus permits an observer to configure an electronic unit for data acquisition in a simple way, to configure or amend the user interface himself in a simple way, and thus to configure an input system which is self-evident for him, can be operated simply, unambiguously and reliably, permits data to be acquired quickly, and is suitable for the most varied recording tasks.